An Unladen Swallow

In one of my favorite scenes in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the knights come across the keeper guarding the Bridge of Death (also known as the Old Man from Scene 24). In order to cross, they have to answer three of his questions, or be cast into the gorge of eternal peril. Some questions are more heady (“what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?”) For Sir Gallahad, the bridgekeeper asks what seem like the most basic, easy questions possible. “What is your name, what is your quest, and what is your favorite color?” Unfortunately for Sir G, that third question was a bit of a stumper, and his response – “Blue…no, green!” gets him sadly cast into the gorge of eternal peril.

I have always identified with this scene. Ask me about facts, ideas – I’m full of good answers. But questions about who I truly am and what I care about are much harder for me to pin down. For the last two years – or the last thirty five years, depending on how you count – I’ve been on my own kind of quest. I left my job, started taking classes, writing, pursuing counseling and coaching and healing programs through my church, all in the name of trying to pin down who I am, and what I’m here for. This blog is a place to document this process.